How to handle PTSD
by Eyes Wide Open 2010
Summary: We have heard what the stress of combat will do to the survivors of war. How will the characters here confront and address it. This story was my assignment for a writing class. Enjoy!


Disclaimer: This story is based on an excerpt from the movie "How to Train Your Dragon." I do not own "How to Train Your Dragon" or any of the characters in the movie, which are the property of DreamWorks Animation and Cressida Cowell.

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"I'm proud to call you my son," Stoick declared to Hiccup as the battle raged on behind them. Those words meant so much not only to the father but to the son as well. It was the final acknowledgement to the son that his father did love him for what he was. Hiccup was the intelligent, withdrawn but observant only child of the chieftain riding the most fearsome creature in existence, a Night Fury dragon. Son and father exchanged glances as the coming battle might be the last. Hiccup could only utter in a breaking voice, "Thanks Dad," as he prepared for flight and fight.

Toothless spread his obsidian wings to the fullest, and with one powerful down-stroke he was airborne, Hiccup controlling his tail fin. The duo quickly gained altitude for an advantage over their quarry. The Red Death was the scourge of both dragon and Viking folk, terrorizing the dragons into raiding Viking villages for food. Many died because of its insatiable appetite. On the rocky beach down below, the Red Death was attempting to eat Vikings who previously stormed to shore. It was if someone were trying to eat an ant. The ships apparently were tastier to the monster as it took whole ships into its maw and crunched on them before spewing them out.

Several new friends of Hiccup were now working with dragons, desperately trying to distract the monster. All failed and were either almost trampled, flamed, or inhaled by this abomination. High above, the Night Fury and his rider saw what his friends and their dragons were attempting before they drew themselves into the fight. The dragon fired a blue bolt of plasma into the cheekbone of the monster. That caused an explosion which saved Hiccup's one true new friend and her dragon before they were almost inhaled. However, the resulting explosion threw the girl and her dragon up into the air and away from the reeling monster. The girl was now falling and would die if she struck the ground. That didn't occur as the Night Fury caught the girl before that moment. Hiccup even managed to check on her, shouting at the black dragon, "Did you get her?" The fact the dragon glanced down at his catch and provided a response was the reassurance the Viking boy needed. Toothless managed to swing the girl up from her inverted position in his claws and dropped her off before streaking back into the sky.

"That thing has WINGS? Okay, let's see if it can USE them!" screamed Hiccup as he looked over his shoulder back at the monster below. Suddenly, the Night Fury changed its flight path from one of ascent to an abrupt dive, aligning itself for another strike on the creature. Another blue bolt struck the monster, causing it to stumble and fall. Anger was evident in its six eyes as it unfurled its tattered wings; the smell of stale death surrounded the creature as it started to slowly gain altitude, intent on pursuing the Night Fury and his rider.

The duo angled off immediately above the water, skimming its surface in front of the remaining Vikings on shore who cheered both into battle. All knew the fight would be glorious but there was no certainty of its outcome. Hiccup asked, "You think that did it?" as he glanced back to see if their target took the bait. Widened eyes betrayed his shock at the sight of the mountain with wings hot in pursuit. Toothless managed to sneak a peek behind him before his rider nervously exclaimed, "Well, he can fly!" The duo began a game of 'cat and mouse' through the sea stacks present near the shore line with the monster choosing to plow through the geologic formations. Looking up to the clouds in the gray sky, Hiccup made his decision and said, "Okay Toothless, time to disappear." He shifted the gears on the mechanical tail fin, allowing Toothless to ascend in a nearly vertical climb and allowing them to place some distance between them and the behemoth. "Come on, bud!" the Viking boy urged his mount to press upward, to stay ahead of the monster intent on swallowing them whole. He could hear the ponderous flapping from below as the monster changed its course to continue its pursuit, and also hear the telltale hiss of gas prepared for them. "Here it comes," the boy exclaimed as he glanced back to see the start of a long fiery plume from the Red Death. The Night Fury banked sharply to his left, avoiding the fire while continuing his ascent.

The monster was able to gain on them, pressing ever closer to the duo even as they continued their quest for the clouds. It opened its giant maw, preparing to swallow the duo but the pair managed to reach the cloud deck, veering off suddenly to the right to avoid consumption. The monster now found itself in the middle of a gray-black void unable to see its prey, even with six eyes. It turned constantly, trying to determine their location.

High above its quarry, the duo could hear the flapping wings and insidious roar of the Red Death. Hiccup leaned over Toothless, allowing rider to communicate with dragon. "Toothless, I hope you can understand what I am about to show you. I want you to shoot at the wings of that thing down below." As he spoke, Hiccup showed the Night Fury what he wanted the dragon to do. He used his hands to point between the dragon and their target. He also showed Toothless where he wanted the shots to hit, using a finger on his left hand to pass through his spread out fingers on his right hand. He received a grunt of possible understanding as they switched their role from prey to hunter.

The roars and flapping wings were a dead give-away to the location of the monster as the Night Fury lined up for a strafing run. The boy, however, had to close his eyes as they started the dive to shield them from the stinging mist. He opened his eyes when he felt Toothless fire his plasma bolt, seeing the resulting plume of fire spread from the shot play out onto the right wing of the monster. There was a look of satisfaction in both of their eyes as they streaked past their target which bellowed in pain. "Yeeeee hah" the Viking boy gleefully shouted as they reeled back into the clouds. A certain look of determination and vengeance was present in their demeanor as they carried out the strikes over and over again.

The monster bellowed a mighty roar as it struggled with its tattered and shredded wings. It breathed a stream of fire of incredible duration and intensity in its effort to insure the destruction of anything in its wake. It continued to breathe this furious fire in all directions in a frantic attempt to kill its tormentor. It had its desired effect as the Viking boy saw the gleam of light quickly approach them. "WATCH OUT," he yelled as they attempted to dodge the plume. It was to no avail as a part of the fire stream struck the mechanical tail allowing the Viking boy to control their flight. "Okay, times up!" Hiccup nervously declared. "Let's see if this works," he said as he directed the Night Fury to fly at the monster. Confusion was evident in the demeanor of the Night Fury as he approached. "COME ON! IS THAT THE BEST YOU CAN DO?" Hiccup screamed at the monster directly in front of him. It focused its gaze on them both as it struggled to eat the pair. However, the Night Fury was able to nimbly evade the maw of the creature before the duo began a descent back through the clouds doing everything they could to entice the monster to follow. They succeeded and just as they had with the ascent, the pair were now in a struggle to survive before all was lost.

"Stay with me buddy," Hiccup anxiously said to the Night Fury as he struggled with the burning mechanical fin. The pair was streaking back to the ground with the monster gaining on them from behind. Concern and fear was etched onto the Night Fury's face as Hiccup said soothingly, "just a little bit longer." The Viking boy could hear the charging of gas behind him as the monster readied its fatal blow. "Hold, Toothless," Hiccup commanded the dragon as he strained to hear for the telltale signs of ignition. "NOW," he screamed, sensing the actions of the monster. The Night Fury instinctively turned to face the maw of the monster that was now filled with gas. He fired one plasma bolt and detonated the gas inside the monster. The monster gagged on the explosion of its own gas but of greater concern to it was their proximity to the ground. Both could see how close they were to death as they fell out of the clouds. The monster tried to slow its descent but the holes present in its wings widened, rendering them completely useless.

The Night Fury spread its wings, slowing its descent, but not stopping it. After passing through the maw of the monster, the duo tried to fly away. They could not, and as the monster struck the ground in a spectacular explosion of bone, flesh, blood and gas, the pair frantically searched for a way to escape. The mechanism allowing them to fly gave way and the pair found themselves on a collision course with the club-like tail. "No," Hiccup said as he saw the approaching doom. "NO" he screamed as they both collided with the tail, separating the pair and sending them in different directions. The Night Fury roared as he saw his unconscious rider below him descend back into the fireball. He tried desperately to make up the difference between them before the flames consumed the Viking boy. He kept beating his wings in frenzy, he had to make it. He could see the flames char the fabric of the clothing of his rider. He had to make it…

A primal scream escaped from the Chieftain's house as the Viking rushed back in to see a panicked black dragon. He ran to the Night Fury and kept repeating, "It's okay Toothless, it's okay, it's okay." He placed his arms around the dragon to soothe his fears, to calm him, and to reassure him that everything was alright. The Viking could see the fear in the dragon's eyes as he looked frantically around for something. "He's right here, Toothless," Stoick mentioned, pointing to a boy lying in a bed next to the fireplace. He appeared to be sleeping.

Tears of joy, relief, or embarrassment (it was hard to tell with a dragon) fell from his eyes. The Night Fury went over to the boy, taking in his scent before he returned to the chieftain. Toothless sidled next to Stoick and purred, apparently content in the knowledge that an integral part of him was still amongst the living. Stoick placed a comforting hand on the dragon's head, gently stroking the crest between his ears. The chieftain then turned back to the door to return to the business of holding council for his village.

The Chieftain chuckled wryly before he sat down in his chair on the warm sunny autumn day. The dragon most feared by Vikings had nightmares and was now comforted by a human who spent his entire life dedicated to their extermination. That was, until last week.


End file.
